Chatham councilman apologizes for anti-Muslim statements

A Chatham councilman running for re-election apologized for anti-Muslim statements he made that were condemned Monday by an Islamic organization.

Peter Hoffman said that 10 years ago he made a post on the anti-Islam website BarenakedIslam that read, “Islam is a sick, backward faith practiced by low life scum ... until the 'moderate' Muslims rein in their sick brethren and stop this type of behavior, Islam will always be the religion of beasts in my mind.”

Hoffman made the post after viewing a video showing someone stoned to death. He also made separate Facebook posts that read “a hyphenated American is not an American at all” and “assimilation is what made this country great, NOT emphasizing differences.”

"It’s a statement that I’m very ashamed of," Hoffman said on Monday.

"I apologized for it, it’s not the way I feel. I apologized to the Muslim and Chatham communities. It’s a sincere apology."

On Monday, James Sues, president of the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, issued a statement that said Hoffman should be disqualified as a candidate for Borough Council.

Story continues below post

"The bigoted views expressed by Mr. Hoffman do a disservice to the welcoming community in New Jersey," Sues stated. "This is just a painful reminder of the extreme divisiveness that characterizes the current political climate at the state and national level.”

Hoffman said he would like to apologize to Sues and the CAIR organization.

In addition to the Borough Council, Hoffman is a member of the Planning Board, Public Works and Community Services Committee, and the Joint Municipal Court. He earned his bachelor's degree from Georgetown and master's from Fordham before working in finance for 30 years.

Hoffman and Len Resto, both Republicans, are running for re-election in November for the Borough Council. They will be opposed by Democrats Carolyn Dempsey and Jocelyn Mathiasen.

With The 2018 midterm elections taking place on November 6, Registration for voting is in full effect and in an effort to get millennials and young people registered, Snapchat is offering an easy way to do so. Susana Victoria Perez has more.
Buzz60

Support local journalism

Investigations into local topics take time and resources. Readers help support these efforts with their subscriptions. Support our journalism and become a subscriber today. Click here for our special offers.